"Gather ye rose-buds while ye may." Robert Herrick

"Gather ye rose-buds while ye may." Robert Herrick

Hello Friends!

Friends, Romans, countrymen...y'all. Foodies, gardeners, artists and collectors - let's gather together to share and possibly learn a thing or two in the mix.

Donna Baker

Sunday, May 27, 2018

Weed Or What


I don't know what this is, but its got a week before I whack it out.

Those bottom leaves are nearly two feet in length and it stayed neat and tidy for two years - close to the ground.  This year it is growing up and out. It's about 3 feet by 3 feet in a small bed across my back patio.  It keeps putting out these buds and I wait each day for blooms, but I think it's just unfurling more leaves.  

Whatever, it is getting a severe pruning next week if nothing of the floral variety appears.


16 comments:

Joanne Noragon said...

I vote weed. I have a very similar one that overtook Laura, who was quite fond of it. Now she needs a spade to go after it.

coffeeontheporchwithme said...

Nope, don't know - but if it grows with that kind of vigour, it's probably a weed. -Jenn

oldgreymareprimitives said...

Where I come from anything that is green gets to stay- well almost. I have a tree that I removed a year ago that has re sprouted three times and in mere weeks it is a couple feet tall. I whack it back - treat it with this deadly milky stuff and----------- it's back a few inches over within a month!!!! Yesterday I noticed it had moved over into a wall bed and is trying to sneak back in under a fern! Life really tries to keep going. Dinosaurs to birds..

Those large leaves would make a wonderful hypertufa.

Mary said...

I believe it could be a 'weed tree' similar to one I have growing by my mailbox! Just can't get rid of it by cutting it down - comes back fast and furious, but no flowers - but don't want to spray with anything deadly such as Roundup which might kill my lovely conifer and all the bluebell bulbs in that location. . . . . . and perhaps even me!
Speaking of Roundup - a good friend of mine has recently joined the class action lawsuit against Monsanto makers of Roundup weed killer. She has been diagnosed with and treated for non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, one of the cancers Roundup might cause - thankfully she is doing well so far.

Have a good Memorial Day - hope you escape the rains Donna.


angryparsnip said...

I would vote weed !

cheers, parnip

Elephant's Child said...

Its enthusiasm suggests weed to me too. I have a lot of respect for them. Good luck. I suspect it will fight back.

donna baker said...

Oh Mary, summer has come on with a vengeance. Temps are already in the high 90's and three digits. Don't get me started on Monsanto - the destroyer of man. All about profit. It seems Glycophosphate or Round Up is now in everything we eat and drink. They have such a terrible reputation now, they are trying to sell out to Bayer which is just as bad, is located in Switzerland and not subject to our laws. Take a deep breath. I'm not for GMO's which Monsanto is know for and on and on. Hope your weekend is filled with gentle rains, not tropical rains.

donna baker said...

Well, it is unanimous and I will be pruning heavily today. I thought the giant leaves were pretty when it was contained and low, but it has taken off and way too big for a two foot wide garden.

donna baker said...

This plant has become a dinosaur.

donna baker said...

I'll go with that Joanne.

donna baker said...

I think you are right Jenn. Too good to be true.

donna baker said...

Needs to be in a large field not a 2 x 20 foot shade garden.

donna baker said...

I should have known, I just kept hoping for some flowers. Now, I'm getting it out before it goes to seed.

donna baker said...

FYI, I got out the nippers and started cutting. The main stalk, which was woody and there were two of them, was at least an in in diameter. My new nippers were so sharp, I clipped my thumb and now there is blood all over the remaining leaves. Should have used the loppers. It was getting me back I guess.

Bea said...

:( attack of the weed.

donna baker said...

It was Bea. I never heard of a weed this big. The main stalks looked like rhubarb and I think maybe it was a distant relative of the plant. I'm getting after it again this evening.